LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Derek Funderburk toed the baseline with the rest of his St. Edward teammates. At the signal of coach Eric Flannery, the Eagles took off sprinting for the other end of the floor.

Up and back they went, only to line up and do it a second time. It was a typical start to a St. Edward basketball practice, and while some athletes might loathe the thought of running sprints, the 6-foot-9 Funderburk had a grin as wide as his swooping wingspan.

He’s happy to be back on the floor. Just a month ago, he thought his season was over.

The Eagles' towering sophomore forward broke his foot during a practice on Feb. 10, when he turned to defend the basket and stepped on the foot of teammate Pat Riley. At the time, it was announced that he would miss the rest of the season, but Flannery knew in the back of his mind Funderburk could return if the Eagles played far enough into the postseason.

“It gives us a ton,” Flannery said. “You can bring a 6-foot-9 future big-time Division I (college) player off your bench, even if he’s not 100 percent, just to have that presence out there changes your lineup and changes your team.”

Funderburk received plasma therapy, which required taking plasma from his arm and injecting it into his foot, to help the recovery process, and came back about a week ahead of schedule.

During the time in between, he found ways to improve while distracting himself from the fact he wasn’t able to play. When he was still on crutches, Funderburk would go to the weight room adjacent to the Eagles' practice gym and do 100 reps of the bar on the bench press. When moved on to a walking boot, he would sit a few feet away from the rim and practice his shooting form.

It was just another chapter in what’s been a season of adjustments for the Eagles' budding star. He’s been a starter on every team he’s played for, and just like every other star player, he expected to start for the Eagles right away.

Instead he played JV as a freshman, and has been a valuable piece off the bench for the varsity squad this season — uncharted territory for a player who already holds scholarship offers from Ohio State, Xavier, Iowa and Penn State, among others.

St. Edward forward Derek Funderburk, right, drives on Mentor's Kade McClure during a game on Feb. 5. (Kyle Lanzer, Special to The Plain Dealer)

“Every kid thinks they’re gonna come in and play varsity, and that’s what I thought because everywhere I went I was starting, even the best teams I was playing on,” Funderburk said. “They told me it wasn’t gonna be like that, so I just accepted it. I’m paying my dues.”

And he’s maturing in the process.

“We have conversations about it all the time,” Flannery said. “He understands that it’s a process here, and he understands that there are other good players here. If he can help the team by coming off the bench, that’s what he’s gonna do.”

He’s had to play some catch-up, though.

When going over the game plan for East Tech during Tuesday’s practice, Funderburk said he felt winded with all the high-energy drills the Eagles were running to match the Scarabs' pace.

More adjustments will come as he continues to get back into the swing of things, but he’s happy to be back helping the Eagles chase the program’s second state championship.

“I really can’t describe it,” Funderburk said. “There’s nothing you can really compare it to, so I just give it my all.”

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

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